To expand a comment I made on a previous thread...
Is anyone else frustrated that there hasn't been more energy invested into detailing and exposing the "subterranean" (Dean's word) campaign dirty tricks that the campaigns are pulling on each other?
I've heard tantalizing hints about campaigns robocalling Dean's 1's and giving them the wrong address for precinct caucuses, robocalling people at 4AM supposedly on behalf of a candidate, and then of course the various "anonymous campaign officials" releasing lies and misrepresentations.
Lakoff talks about the different metaphors with political races - one being that dirty tricks are part of the game, and that after the vote is called, it's all over, so there's no point in rehashing it, and that any effort to do so is whining sour grapes. However, this focuses on the metaphor of it being all about power and competition and a football game.
The other metaphor is that of democratically interpreting the public's will. And that's the one we should be focusing on. In this sense, talking about the dirty tricks isn't sour grapes at all. It's exposing dirty underhanded tactics that sought to manipulate the public will. These kind of dirty tricks con and rob the public of the opportunity to make an informed choice.
I for one want to know how much of a con man each of the other candidates is.